Influence of anisotropy on deterioration of rail materials (CHARMEC MU34)
Research Project, 2015
– 2020
Rolling Contact Fatigue (RCF) crack initiation is often connected to the accumulation of plastic deformation in the surface layer of rail and wheel. The behaviour and strength of this highly deformed layer are thus key properties of a rail or wheel material. Microhardness and 3D head check crack geometry analyses of the surface layer of a rail (from field) were conducted in project MU24 and the modelling of anisotropic evolution and response of highly deformed pearlitic steel was developed in project MU19. The modelling was validated against wire-drawing results from the literature as well as high-pressure torsion tests and micropillar tests performed at Erich Schmid Institute in Leoben (Austria). A new biaxial tension and torsion testing machine at the Department of Materials and Manufacturing Technology (now Industrial and Materials Science) will make it possible to perform laboratory tests on rail and wheel materials in more realistic loading conditions than earlier. Aims of the current project are (1) to find ways to produce anisotropy (by predeformation) of the rail material similar to what is found in rails in field, (2) to determine the multiaxial cyclic behaviour of rail steel in the biaxial testing machine, (3) to utilize and further develop cyclic material models from, e g, project MU19, that take anisotropy into account, and (4) to analyse crack initiation and formulate crack initiation criteria. The ultimate goal is to increase the understanding of the role of the microstructure development in different rail materials subjected to realistic traffic loading conditions.
This is a doctoral project. Mr Knut Andreas Meyer (now doctor) is the doctoral student and Professor Magnus Ekh the project leader and supervisor. Professor Johan Ahlström is assistant supervisor. Knut Andreas Meyer successfully defended his doctoral dissertation on 4 October 2019 and continues as researcher in the project.
Participants
Knut Andreas Meyer (contact)
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Material and Computational Mechanics
Johan Ahlström
Materials Technology
Magnus Ekh
Chalmers, Industrial and Materials Science, Material and Computational Mechanics
Collaborations
Abetong AB
Växjö, Sweden
Atkins Sverige AB
Göteborg, Sweden
Bombardier Transportation GmbH
Siegen, Germany
Faiveley Transport Nordic AB
Landskrona, Sweden
Green Cargo AB
Solna, Sweden
Lucchini Sweden AB
Surahammar, Sweden
SJ AB
Stockholm, Sweden
SweMaint AB
Göteborg, Sweden
Swedish Transport Administration
Borlänge, Sweden
voestalpine Schienen GmbH
Leoben, Austria
voestalpine VAE GmbH
Zeltweg, Austria
Funding
Chalmers Railway Mechanics (CHARMEC)
Funding Chalmers participation during 2015–2020
European Commission (EC)
Funding Chalmers participation during 2015–2020
Related Areas of Advance and Infrastructure
Sustainable development
Driving Forces
Transport
Areas of Advance
C3SE (Chalmers Centre for Computational Science and Engineering)
Infrastructure
Materials Science
Areas of Advance